6070 - Never Despair—Trust in Hashem’s Goodness and Seek Torah Guidance

Doing the holy letters of the Rebbe, volume 16, letter number 6,070. Baruch Hashem. The 22nd day of Shvat, 5718. Brooklyn, Shalom u'vracha. And the Rebbe is responding to his letter, 17th of Shvat, in which he writes:

 

First issue he has is his health issue and his settlement... his settling... I guess he's... he's not settled properly, uh, in, um, I guess his health wasn't in the best and maybe his livelihood. And you know, you're talking also about a lot of people who've come, this is, you know, after all of the turmoil after World War Two, after people coming out of... of Russia, wasn't... people... a lot of people were struggling. It wasn't an easy time. So he writes to the Rebbe two issues that he has. Number one about his health and also he has... he's not settled in well. And he concludes that he... this condition brings him to sort of hopelessness. A condition of ye'ush, he gives up, God forbid, you know, he loses hope.

 

And the Rebbe says it's sure, for sure, it's extra to get into great length that this idea of hopelessness, ye'ush, to giving up is totally rejected. We cannot... that's totally mushlal hu b'tachlis, it's totally negated. We can't do that. As the holy Torah, which is a teaching of life, a Toras Chaim, says le'olam al yisyaesh adam atzmo, a person can never fall into hopelessness. Never give up. Never give up hope. And it's explained at length in the books of Chassidus, and amongst them in the book of Tanya, the holy back... the holy Tanya explaining how there is really no room for hopelessness.

 

And the Rebbe says if you dig a little deeper you'll see that this is actually part of our emuna. This is part of our belief. The very simple belief, and all Jewish people are believers, sons of believers. What do we know? That Hakadosh Baruch Hu, Hashem, Blessed be He, is the essence of good. And He is the one that leads the world in actuality. He supervises on each and every one with a very specific supervision. So what is the conclusion? Knowing that Hashem is the leader and Hashem supervises everything, that whatever, kol mah d'avid Rachmana l'tav avid, whatever Hashem does is for the good, which is to the good, to the benefit of the person who's being supervised. So if God is... if you believe in God, and God is the one that supervises, and He is good, so you must conclude that God, what He's doing is for your good. God is supervising you, and He's the essence of good, so everything He does is for the good.

 

So there's no room for hopelessness. And that is even very simple, every Jew believes in God, and we all believe that He runs the world. So therefore this conclusion of not giving up hope that Hashem does for the good is something that everybody can conclude. Since you write in your letter that you do keep the classes of Chumash, Tehillim, and Tanya, and you recite the discourses of Chassidus, so the Rebbe says for sure to somebody like you there's no need to go into great detail. Uh... there's no need for it. And the Rebbe says just a small reflection, a short reflection in the above would be sufficient to improve your mood, your matzav ruach, to make you feel better. 

 

And the Rebbe says in addition to all matters that are in this, besides this, it's known the saying of our holy Rebbes, our leaders, "Tracht gut vet zein gut." Think good, it'll be good. If you think positive, then it'll be positive. So the Rebbe first of all tells him there is really no room to be hopeless, helpless, because Hashem is in control of everything. Hashem is in charge of anything... of everything. Hashem supervises everything. And Hashem is good, so whatever Hashem does is for the good. That'll help you go out of your... feeling of depression, of hopelessness. 

 

The next thing he asks the Rebbe was about his brother, Mr. So-and-So, sheyichye. It's coming across that there is a shidduch for him, and he's not sure is he responsible, is he obligated to tell her that which has health-wise happened to him in the past. Does he have to have full disclosure uh... to the woman that he's dating, does he have to tell her from his past? So the Rebbe says this is, as all matters of a Jewish person, the resolution for this question is based on the Shulchan Aruch, the code of law. 

 

So the Rebbe says after you find out the details by a doctor who treated and continues to treat him, you should set forth this question in front of a rabbi who is one that... not just a rabbi, sometimes you have a rabbi, he has smicha, he could be a rabbi, but one who practices law and who's actually familiar with these halachos and go according to his instruction. Because I guess first you gotta ask the doctor, sometimes there is mental health issues, uh... which are I guess more pertinent and they're more important to disclose. Sometimes there issues of past health condition which may don't really make so much of a differ... whatever there may be uh... very specific details. And the Rebbe suggests that he consult a practicing rabbi who does rule in these cases.

 

And the Rebbe says it was pleasant to me to read in your learn... in your letter about your brother's participation in the matters of Tzeirei Agudas Chabad. And the Rebbe says and for sure he will keep on adding in this. In addition to the main addition in the classes in the teaching of Chassidus Chabad and to following in its directions and its customs. The Rebbe blesses him for good news in all the above. In the name of the Rebbe, by the Rebbe's secretary. 

 

So he asked the Rebbe several questions. The first he asked about his own health and his own struggles and the Rebbe basically tells him Hashem is watching and Hashem is good. So you don't really have to worry besides all that, and it'll be good. And He wants the best for you. Besides this thing, the Rebbe says since you're learned a little bit and you study you'll understand what I'm saying even in this brief explanation. But the Rebbe says there's also the expression of our holy Rebbes that when you think positive things are positive. With regards to his brother's shidduch, do you have to disclose, the Rebbe says that's a question for a practicing rabbi after finding out all the details. And the Rebbe says he's happy that his brother is participating in Chabad activities, but the Rebbe encourages him specifically to become closer by his studies, learning Chabad Chassidus and following its traditions and custom. And the Rebbe blesses him for good news in the name of the Rebbe by the secretary.